2006 was the best year ever! Our Vice-President shot his friend in the face, Three 6 Mafia won an Oscar, and the Democrats took control of Congress! Music was pretty good too. Whether it be indie, pop, rap, or pop rock en español, all genres had their share of great new releases this year. This series of posts will celebrate these great new releases, but with a strong concentration of the former former former genre. There really were a ton of dropped albums in 2006, and ten is a pretty small number, so on the last post when the Best Album of the Year is announced, an Honorable Mention list will also be included, commemorating solid albums that were wondrous, just not as wondrous as the top ten.

And now, starting off the top ten best albums of 2006 are...

10. Lily Allen- Alright, Still

Lily Allen exploded on the British pop scene this year with her infectious hits "Smile" and "LDN" off her debut album, Alright, Still. With an in-your-face attitude, undeniably cute face, and flamboyant fashion sense, Lily's the perfect spokesperson for her music. The sound is poppy, no doubt, but there's nothing bubblegum about it. The topics of her songs include her pothead brother, pimps and their crackwhores, and "fucking that girl next door." She's seriously so cute, though. Jazz, doowop, and reggae influences are all present in this album as well, making Lily Allen a genre-busting artist of 2006.

We first discovered Joanna with her debut album The Milk-Eyed Mender back in 2004. Since then she has toured with Devendra Banhart, Vetiver, and even appeared live on The Jimmy Kimmel Show. Her latest album Ys, and my #9 pick for 2006, once again features her beautiful harp-playing and undeniably unique voice. Her vocals have been compared to those of everyone from Bjork to Lisa Simpson. Child-like, wavering, but surprisingly controlled, Joanna's pipes are the standout element of her music and Ys. The album is primarily folk, with a heavy emphasis on the harp, but with African harp rhythms and Joanna's own style of playing, Ys is another album that you can't really pin down to one particular genre.

(Regarding mp3s, Ms. Newsom would rather us not post any of her songs. Buy this album here.)

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